Vent-valve for fluid-reservoirs.



B. S. RANDALL.

VENT VALVE FOR FLUID RESERVOIHS.

APPLICATION mso MAY s, |915.

Hamm,

ff /f @im Vf Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

WEEE@ STATES PATENT lfi"Fli@E.

BYRON S. RANDALL, OF HUSTISFORD, WISCONSIN.

VENT-'VALVE FCB. FLUID-RESERVOIRS.

Application filed May 8, 1915.

o all 'whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, BYRON S. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hustisford, in the county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Vent- Valves for Fluid-Reservoirs; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, economical and effective discharge pipe valve for fluid reservoirs whereby the fluid contents within the delivery pipe is quickly and effectively drained after the valve is seated to cut oftl the flow. rlhe above primary object is accomplished through the arrangement of valve construction which is such that the stem of the valve is vented above the level of the reservoir ycontents and, in conjunction with the pipe the valve when seated thus forms an air inlet which communicates with said pipe whereby its contents will quickly drain and this quick drainage also prevents pocketing of any of the fluid contentswithin the delivery pipe which would otherwise tend to freeze under certain climatic conditions.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a simple means for guiding the valve, also for forming a seat for said valve which can be readily replaced, and also to provide a simple lever connection with the vented stem of the valve whereby it is under manual control from any predetermined remote oint.

With the above and other minor objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts as set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a fragmentary sectional view of a reservoir or tank equipped with a valve mechanism embodying the features of my invention, the section being indicated by line 1-1 of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 9., a detailed plan view of the valve-port and its associated valve seating and guiding mechanism, and Fig. 3, a plan View of the valve actuating mechanism with parts broken away to more clearly show certain structural features.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents a reservoir especially adapted to contain skimmed milk in creameries, the bottom of said reservoir being provided with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2S, 1915.

serial no. 26,784.

discharge port 2. Aiiixed to the outer face of the reservoir bottom about the port 2 is. a

lcoupling member 3 for threaded engagement with a delivery pipe 4, which pipe extends to any convenient point of discharge usually outside of the building in which the reservoir is housed. Fitted to the upper face of the reservoir bottom about the port 2 is a ring -i having guide spurs 4 extending therefrom, the said ring being secured in a concentric position with relation to the port by screws or bolts 5. The ring e is of greater diameter than the port 2 and fitted within the ring is a circular gasket 6, which gasket is seated upon the exposed surface of the reservoir bottom about the port and is secured thereto by screws 6. rlhe opening in the gasket is concentric with the port 2 and is of lesser diameter than the same, whereby it forms a slight unsupported overhang about the port that is capable of flexure, it being understood that this gasket is preferably of some yieldable fibrous material. The bore of the gasket, as shown, is also beveled upwardly to increase its fleXure at the edge, whereby a valve seat is formed that insures a perfect seal when the same is engaged by the walls of the spherical valve-head 7. The valve-head 7 terminates with a circular flanged collar 7, which forms a valve-guide in conjunction with the ring spurs 4. The valve-head 7 is also provided with a centrally disposed threaded aperture 8 for engagement with the corresponding threaded end of a tubular stem 9. The open upper end of the vented valve-stem projects above the maximum level of the reservoir contents and through an opening 10 that is formed in a supporting bar 10 with which the reservoir is provided.

An apertured bracket 11 is secured to the upper face of the bar with its aperture in register' with the bar opening. This bracket has ears 11 extending therefrom, to which ears are fulcrumed arms 12 of a valve-actu ating lever 12. The arms 12 are arranged to straddle the valve-stem and one of said arms is provided with a stop-foot extension 12 adaptedto abut the bed-plate of the bracket, whereby a valve-lifting movement of the lever is regulated.

A split Spanner 13 is adapted to be fitted over the end of the hollow valve stem and secured in its adjusted position by clamping bolts 13', which clamping bolts engage ears of the Spanner members. The Spanner also carries trunnion studs 14 that engage apertures of the lever arms 12. The free end of the lever 12 is suitably connected to an actuating runner 15 arranged upon suitable guide sheaves 15', whereby the pull end of the runner is positioned at a convenient point remote from the tank in order that the operator may control the valve movement at Said point.

IVhile I have shown and described one means of carrying out my invention in all of its detail, it should be understood that the exempliiication illustrated can be varied as to such detail Without departing from the spirit of said invention.

I claim:

In a fluid reservoir having a discharge port, a delivery pipe in communication therewith arranged to discharge at a point remote from said reservoir; the combination of a ring secured to the bottom of the reservoir about its port, guide-spurs projecting from the ring, a flexible gasket fitted into the ring and secured to the reservoir bottom independent of said ring, the bore of the gasket being vslightly restricted relative to the bore ofthe port, a spherical centrally apertured valve-head arranged to seat upon the gasket to close the bore of the same, a tubular valve-stem having its lower end in threaded union with the valve-head aperture, the upper open end of the stem being above the maximum level of the contents of the reservoir, a supporting bracket having an aperture through which the upper end of the stem projects, a lever in pivotal union with the bracket having a stop-1`oot arranged to engage said bracket, a Spanner adjustably secured to the upper end of the aforesaid stem, a trunnion connection between the spanner and lever, and a runner connected to the lever for actuating the same whereby the valve is lifted from its seat.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Hustisford, in the county of Dodge and State of `Wiscon sin, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

BYRON S. RANDALL.

Witnesses WILLIE KAUL, CLARA KAUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

